Marshmallows and Magic
by EloquentDossier
Summary: For Reid, it's just a normal evening: he, Hotch, Jack, and Henry are going to make s'mores in the backyard of their new home. Hotch and the boys have a slightly different plan, however. / Slash. Established relationship.


_Written for the prompt:_ _I_ _ **love a good proposal, but maybe with Aaron proposing to Reid, with the help of Henry and Jack. I love fluff. :)**_

 _As always, I don't own anything. This one's not my best work, but it's pure fluff, so...?_

 _Pairing: Hotch/Reid - slash this time. It's kind of an established relationship by this point, so there's that._

* * *

Aaron Hotchner could hear Henry's exclamation of "Uncle Spence!" all the way in the kitchen, where he was currently getting everything ready for them to make s'mores over the fire pit in the backyard. Henry, the son of Hotch's coworker JJ, had been dropped off at the house he and his boyfriend Spencer Reid had finally bought, as a favor to Hotch—and so Henry and Hotch's son Jack could have the sleepover they'd been promised while Reid and Hotch were house-hunting. While Jack was a few years older than Henry, the two boys had become fast friends when they'd finally had the chance to meet, and it had been a nice distraction for Jack after Hotch's ex-wife Haley had died.

Jack was six now, and while he still missed his mom, he was definitely doing better. He was also happy that Hotch had managed to move on, and Hotch couldn't wish for a more accepting son than the one he had. Jack had been the one to encourage the relationship between Hotch and Reid to occur, after Jack had managed to coerce Reid into admitting having feelings for Hotch. Jack had taken the information immediately to Hotch and told him to "do something about it," and things had fallen into place. Hotch and Reid had been together for a little over a year now, and Hotch couldn't remember the last time he'd been as happy and content as he was with Reid.

He was startled from his thoughts when he heard the sound of running and felt four hands start grabbing at his pants and shirt. Henry's and Jack's voices overlapped as the two boys pressed for information about when they'd be starting the fire and roasting marshmallows. Hotch glanced around for Reid and found the brunette man standing next to the counter, grinning at the scene with no intentions of helping him.

"Spence, a little help?" Hotch queried, his tone more of an order than a suggestion.

Reid allowed the boys to continue for a moment longer before taking pity on his boyfriend. "Hey, boys, while Aaron gets the fire ready, how about I show you some new magic tricks?" the younger profiler suggested, grinning when the two boys yelled "yeah!" in unison before swarming him. Hotch sent him a grateful smile and in return received a wink before Reid herded the kids back into the living room.

Hotch shook his head and grabbed all the items he'd laid out before proceeding to walk to the door. He juggled the items momentarily as he fiddled with the doorknob, but it only took two tries before he had the door open. He walked across their patio and set the items down on the table nearby. They'd been lucky to find a patio that was formed around a fire pit, with a drain underneath it so rainwater didn't simply sit in the pit. Initially, Hotch had been against it, but both Jack and Reid had teamed up to convince him, and it hadn't taken long for him to capitulate. He'd never admit it out loud (not that it would matter since both Jack and Reid knew anyway) but he was glad he'd been convinced because the fire pit was one of his favorite things about the house.

It didn't take him long to grab enough wood from their stash and pile it next to the pit. He then grabbed the straw and newspapers they kept with the wood and tossed them into the pit. After he grabbed a match, it didn't take him long to get the fire burning. He carefully added the smaller sticks and limbs to keep from smothering the fire. He kept up the process until he was certain it was safe to add a couple of small logs to the fire, and then he stood and dusted off his hands.

Hotch closed the door behind him as he entered the kitchen. He could hear Henry and Jack clapping and shouting, "Do it again, Spence!" in response to whatever trick Reid had shown them, and he smiled to himself as he proceeded to the living room. What he wasn't expecting was to hear a distinctive popping noise or see a small black object arcing down to land at his feet.

Hotch quirked a brow at Reid as the two boys laughed, and he bent down to pick up the film canister. "I'm disappointed. You could usually get more distance," Hotch commented, fighting the urge to smile as Reid grinned.

"I had to adjust for the height of the room. If we were outside, I could make it go farther," Reid replied, which only reminded Henry and Jack of why they were watching Reid do magic tricks in the first place.

"Daddy, is it ready now?" Jack asked, his head popping up from behind the sofa cushion.

Hotch smiled and nodded. "Yeah, buddy, it is." He shifted his gaze back to Reid. "Grab your stuff and prove it."

Thankfully, Reid didn't need him to clarify exactly what he meant, and instead the genius simply grinned way too happily, always excited to own up to a challenge. He then also picked up Henry, causing the boy to squeal in laughter as Reid carried him under one arm. Jack laughed and followed behind Reid, and Hotch filed in line behind his son, gently brushing a hand over the boy's blonde hair.

Hotch wasn't entirely sure how Reid managed to open the door, but it wasn't long before they were all seated outside around the fire pit, with Reid more interested in showing just how far he could shoot the film canister, while Hotch worked on putting the marshmallows on the sticks. He handed the two smaller ones to Jack and Henry and held both his and Reid's.

It wasn't until a while later (after Reid had aced Hotch's challenge and both the boys had gotten chocolate from their s'mores all over their faces) that Reid folded himself into the same seat as Hotch and rested his head against the older man's. Henry and Jack were running around, screaming and giggling, and Hotch circled his arm around Reid, his fingers lacing with his boyfriend's fingers.

"Are you all right, Spencer?" Hotch murmured softly, gently nudging his nose against Reid's cheek. It was rare that Reid sought out affection, and usually it only occurred when the younger man was distressed.

Reid smiled and nodded, glancing at Hotch from beneath his lashes. "Yeah. I just wanted to touch you," he answered quietly in his starkly honest way, and Hotch smiled and pressed a kiss against Reid's jaw before turning his head in the direction of the conspicuously quiet boys.

Hotch wasn't surprised to see both Henry and Jack standing a few feet away, watching them earnestly. "What is it, boys?" he queried.

"Is it time?" Jack asked in response, his voice higher in pitch because he was excited.

"You think we should do it now?" Hotch questioned, ignoring the confused stare he could feel Reid giving him.

Henry was the one who answered this time. "Yeah!"

Hotch chuckled and nodded. "All right. Go ahead."

Jack and Henry walked closer until they were standing less than a foot away. "Spencer," Jack started formally, and Hotch felt the younger man tense slightly. "I'm really glad you came into our lives. Daddy and I were really sad until you started spending time with us. I know I tricked you one night, and you told me something you thought I'd keep secret. But I'm not sorry I told my dad because you wouldn't be here if I hadn't." Jack stopped and looked down at Henry.

Henry took another step forward, his hands kept conspicuously behind his back. "Uncle Spence, we all love you very much," Henry recited. "And I want you to stay with Uncle Aaron forever." Both boys paused for a moment, looking at Hotch for direction.

"Aaron?" Reid's voice was barely a whisper, and Hotch simply smiled before nodding at both boys to continue.

"So Henry, my dad, and I wanted to ask you..." Jack continued, his voice cracking with nervous excitement as Henry finally pulled his hands out from behind his back and opened his hands to reveal two silver bands.

"Will you marry Uncle Aaron?" Henry finished, beaming up at Reid.

Hotch finally turned to look back at Reid, who was staring at him with wide eyes. "Aaron, are you—really?" Reid breathed, and Hotch was fairly certain he saw tears brimming the brunette's eyes.

"Spencer, I have never been more sure about anything in my life," Hotch answered warmly, squeezing the hand still twined with his. "I love you, and I want the whole world to know it."

Reid let out a short, nervous laugh before he nodded and answered, "Absolutely." He then turned and looked at Henry and Jack. "Yes, I will marry him."

Both boys saw that as an opportunity to squeal happily and pile into the same seat as the two men. Henry latched onto Reid and smiled at Hotch around Reid's arm while Jack took the honor of putting a band on each man's left ring finger. Reid started complimenting the boys for how well they'd done, and Hotch smiled as he kissed his now-fiancé's head, relishing in the way Reid simply melted back into him.

And neither man had ever been happier.

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 _Of course I'd love to hear your thoughts. (;_

 _Thanks for reading!_


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